The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1887-05-06
EoulNE DYSPEPSIA
Disorders to which the Digestive Organs
of the Hnraa Are Liable.


Disorders to which the Digestive Organs
of the Horse Are Liable.
hampers is a trivial affection, mostly
noticed in young horses about the time
they are changing their first set for
permanent teeth. 1t is an active in
flammation of the feshy ridges of the
mouth. This causes pain when oats or
corn is eaten, so that feeding is some
whatinterfered with. Although mostly
noticed in colts, it may appear at any
age in consequence of oyerfeeding.
Some brutal horsemen burn fhe swollen.
ridges with the hot iron, but this is a
barbarous practice and wholly unnec es-
sary. Feeding the animal on soft food
for few days is effectual. If there is
any hurry about the cure lal icing the
swollen parts rather freely will expe-
dite matters. The affection is noticed
here only that the hot-iron .treatmen5t
may be condemned
Gorged stomach and grain founder
are terms applied to overload ng the
stomach with food that doesn't digest.
1t corresponds to acute Indigestion in
man. It is also called impaction of tile
stomach in the horse. Improper food,
or hasty eating of too great guam ity,
particularly when the stomach is
weakened by over-exertion, not chez v
ing grain sufficiently, and, in colts. to o
early weaving or the drinking of Iarg e
amounts of milk that is too cold, are al
of them common enough causes of th
trouble.
When the digestion is falling tina
horse loses appetite or eats dirt and the
like, the hair looks rough, and there
may be slight cough. When an at
! tack comes on there are evident signs
! of suffering, the limbs are cold and the
body covered with cold sweat; the
animal may make attempts at vomit-
/ ing, but there is only a flow of saliva
from the mouth. Gas may be expelled
from the stomach, but because of pecu-
Harities in construction vomiting is inn
possible to most horses. He lies down,
rolls about and stands up alternately.
He generally stands with his head down
and pressed against some solid support.
Solong as there is simple indigestion.
the more active measures are not re-
quired In colts, the diet should be
changed, and it is good plan to give
/ a laxative, say half pint or more of
| castor oil, according to age. To older
animals, ball of half an ounce each
of powdered aloes and ginger, made
up with molasses, may be given. Then
a bitter tonic of powdered gentian
root and baking soda, each half an
ounce, with powdered nux vomica,
thirty grains, may be given in the
form of a ball, with molasses, twice a
day. Good grooming and regulation
of the quantity and quality of the food
should receive attention. When an at
| tack of ''gorging" is in progress, eff
forts should be made to give prompt
relief An injection of morphine, one
and one-third grains, under the skin
over the breast-bone, gives the most
speedy relief. A strong purge of half
an ounce of aloes, thirty grains of
calomel and two teaspoonfuls of pow
dered gentian root, made into a ball,
should be given at once, and repeated
in forty-eight hours if it does not act
thoroughly.
Some give five drops of tineture of
aconite root, with two ounces sweet
spirits of inter. instead of morphine,
but the latter gives the most prompt
relief A tonic laxative containing
thirty to sixty grains of aloes, with
gentian, ginger and assafetida, each
sixty grains, made into ball with mo-
lasses, may be given daily for some
weeks if the indigestion seems to con-
tinue after an attack of gorging.
During the attack care must be taken
that the animal does not rupture the
stomach by throwing himself about too
violently. If this accident should hap
pen there is no help for it, death.
being inevitable. Collie or ''gripes'' is,
essen TALLY, a spasmodic contraction of
the muscular coat of the intestine,
caused by the presence of some irri-
tant. In itself, it seldom causes death,
but it may mark the beginning of an
Inflammation that may have such a
termination. Pain is the marked feat
ure of the disease, and it is always in
termittent. 1t generally disappears in
a few hours. st. L0atgS GJobe-Den1o-
cTnt